Former Clemson Pledge Jaren Kanak Formally Commits to Oklahoma

The 4-star Kansas high school prospect has been in the OU student database for a couple of weeks, but he announced his pledge to the Sooners on Wednesday night.

A highly-touted 2022 recruit has made his flip to Oklahoma official.

4-star athlete Jaren Kanak of Hays High School in Hays, KS officially announced that he was committed to the Sooners on Wednesday night.

#BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/4YYutjtDTr

— Jaren Kanak (@KanakJaren) January 6, 2022

Kanak was originally a Clemson commit but, after letting the early signing day come and go without signing, decommitted from the Tigers with many speculating he could be eyeing following Brent Venables to Oklahoma.

Although he hadn’t officially said anything, his name appeared in the OU student database in mid-December leaving many to piece together that he had indeed elected to make his way to Norman.

Now, he makes that decision official.

Kanak is an elite talent coming in as the No. 10 athlete in the country and No. 1 player in the state of Kansas in 247Sports’ composite rankings.

A do-it-all player in high school, Kanak will certainly focus on defense at Oklahoma, likely at a linebacker position as someone who can fly around the field and make big hits.

Venables said previously he was not going to attempt to recruit any Clemson commits to follow him to Norman, but it appeared that was not going to deter Kanak.

In fact, his decision to enroll at Oklahoma before formally committing even earned the praise of someone who did something similar in former Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield.

@KanakJaren I like your style… sometimes you just gotta go enroll and handle your own business.

— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) December 22, 2021

Kanak joins linebackers Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis, defensive lineman Alton Tarber and Cedric Roberts and cornerback Gentry Williams (still unsigned) as the key defensive pieces of Oklahoma’s 2022 class.